Non-removable bottle closure



June 25, 1968 H. T. WILLIAMS 3,389,839

NON -REMOVABLE BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 31, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 25, 1968 H. T. WILLIAMS 3,389,839

NON -REMOVABLE BOTTLE CLOSURE :"iled Oct. 31, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet I 52 r 23 .618 I 7 25 40 I f w 42 s .rii: 10? 4 INVENTOR. HEN/P) 7T W/LL/AMS United States Patent 3,389,839 NON-REMOVABLE BQTTLE CLOSURE Henry, T. Williams, Hacienda Heights, Califl, assignor of one-half to Neil G. Kane, Hacienda Heights, Calif.

' Filed Oct. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 590,877

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-502) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The primary characteristic of this invention is that the closure is non-removable and has two operative positions, one closing the bottle against dispensing flow therefrom of its contents, and the other opening the bottle to such fiow. Another characteristic is that the two operative positions ofthe closure are simply effected by turning the same from one position to another through a predetermined arc, preferably 90. Yet another characteristic isthat only a flow passage is controlled by such turning of the closure from one position to the other, the same being otherwise sealed, in both positions, to obviate linkage and/or evaporation of the contents of the bottle.

Whether the bottle or other container is formed of metal, glass or plastic material, the same is substantially rigid and non-deformable. The same is provided with portions that cooperate with a rotative cap that is formed of resilient material and formed to have a normally-open dispensing passage. Said cap is provided with snap-retention engaging portions that cooperate with the mentioned containerportions to hold the cap captive and yet permit of rotative movement thereof, said cap being provided with an inner extension in which said passage is provided and which is operatively related to the mentioned portions of the container to release the passage so it may open or to close said passage, depending on the position to which the cap is moved.

Background of the invention United States Letters Patent found in a search are: Smith, 1,748,681, Feb. 25, 1930; Costello, 1,862,662, June 14, 1932; Smith et al., 2,394,942, Feb. 12, 1946; Adams, 2,585,527, Feb. 12, 1952; Taylor, 3,002,662, Oct. 3, 1961. Patent 1,748,681 discloses a closure that is rotatable through 180 between open and closed positions, has a self-closing slit through which the contents of a container are dispensed when the closure is positioned with the slit in register with an opening in said container, dispensing of the contents being prevented when the slit is out of register with said opening and a partition is interposed instead; Patent 1,862,662 shows a cap with a self-closing slit that, when the cap is turned from one position to another, is open to or out of register with an opening in the top of a container; Patent 2,349,942 discloses a rotary disc or shutter type of device; Patent 2,585,527 also shows a closure with a self-sealing slit that opens to dispensing flow by pressure on the walls of the container; and Patent 3,002,660 discloses a dispensing device in which an elasic, normally cylindrical cap is fitted over a rigid spout of oval cross-section to assume the shape of said spout. A slit in the cap is either spread to open position or drawn to close position, depending on the rotated adjustment of the cap on the spout.

Description of the invention In addition to the abstract above, the invention has for an object to provide an non-removable closure for a bottle or container and in which the dispensing opening or passage has an unstressed normally-open position, and a closed position that is retained by closing compression of the passage upon rotative movement of the cap.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, which is based on the accompanying drawings. However, said drawings merely show, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a preferred form of bottle closure according to the invention, the same being shown in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a similar view of said closure in open position.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views taken on the respective lines 33 of FIG. 1 and 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views of, respectively, closed and open positions of a modified form of closure.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views taken on the-respective lines 77 of FIG. 5 and 88 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the latter closure.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are end views of modifications of the flow-passage openings.

FIG. 12 is a partial vertical sectional and elevational view showing a modified sealing means between the cap of said closure and the portions thereof on the container.

FIG. 13 is a partial sectional and partial elevational view showing a squeeze type of container provided with a closure according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a top view showing a modified dispensing end on the closure.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are side elevational views of other modifications.

In the closures shown in the several views, the neck 20 represents the dispensing end of a bottle or any other comparable form of container. The same is preferably molded of plastic of generally rigid or near rigid form, but may comprise glass or other suitable material. In the modification of FIG. 13, the bottle is formed of a plastic that, when thin-walled as at 21, may serve as a squeeze bottle for effecting discharge of the fluid contents 22.

According to the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the closure comprises, generally, a cap 23, means 24, partly on the neck 20 and partly on the cap, to nonseparably connect said neck and cap, a normally-open passage 25 provided preferably axially in the cap, means 26, partly on the neck and partly on the cap, to eifect closure of said passage 25 when the cap is rotated relative to the neck to one position, and to effect release of the portions of the cap having the passage therein when the cap is rotated to another position, and a threaded corinection 27 between the neck and cap to cause the latter, while being turned in one direction, to move axially in one direction and cause the passage 25, when open, to close, and while being turned in the opposite direction, to-move axially in the other direction and cause the passage 25, from a closed position, to open.

The cap is preferably molded of low-density polyethylene or comparable plastic, to have desired elasticity and flexibility in the positions thereof that have operative engagement with portions of the container or bottle neck 20.

The means 24 is shown as comprising an outer projection 28 formed on the outer face of the neck and which may be annular or be formed of three or more circumferentially spaced projections. The projection 28 is prefably formed to have a sloping face 29 on the side toward the neck end, and a shoulder face 30 on the opposite side. Said means 24 also comprises an annular groove 31 in the cap 23, said groove being enclosed at the end of the cap by a lip 32. It will be clear that the cap 23 may be pressed on over the end of the neck until the lip 32 rides over the sloping face 29, is spread thereby, and finally snaps over the projection 23 and into cap-retaining engagement with the shoulder face 30. The annular wall 33 of the cap, on which said lip 32 is provided, thereby encloses the upper end of the neck 20, with the end wall 34 of the cap spanning the top of said neck and preferably slightly spaced therefrom.

The passage 25, or at least its upper end, extends through the wall 34 and through a thickened projection 35 on the outside of said wall.

The means 26 is shown as comprising an annular bevel 36 formed in the bore 37 of the neck 20, a counterbore 38 extending from said bevel 36 to the end of the neck. Said means 26 also comprises a central projection 39 directed oppositely to the projection 35, which extends into the counterbore 38 and is preferably coaxial with the cap wall 33 and the passage 25. In this form of the invention, the projection 39 is preferably divided by intersecting slots 40 into four segments, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The open ends of said slots are defined by V-shaped notches 41 that open downwardly. Said slots and their notches are normally open since the outer circumferential edges or corners of the segments of projection 39 are either clear of the mentioned bevels 36 or in light contact therewith. Upon pressure applied to said corners inwardly toward the axis of the closure, said segments are flexed toward each other to close the ends of said slots and notches, as in FIGS. 1 and 3, thereby closing the passage 25 and flow therethrough of the contents of the container.

In this form, the threaded connection 27 between the neck and the cap causes the cap to move longitudinally in an inward direction when turned clockwise. This longitudinal movement of the cap causes the above-mentioned fiexure of the projection segments 39 and closing of the cap to flow. Upon turning of the cap in a counter-clockwise direction, the cap is backed oif to the abutment limit of the lip 32, removing the pressure on the segments and resulting in the return of the cap to open condition.

A sealing bead or annulus 42 on the projection 39 has contact with the counterbore 38 to seal against leakage, as well as evaporation.

The intersecting slots 40 and the notches 41 may be modified. In FIG. 10, a single slot 40, formed as a notch 41, may comprise such a modification. FIGS. 8 and 11 show that the slot may be close-ended as at 43, with the latter rounded at the ends. The seal afforded by the bead or annulus may be modified to comprise a tapered fit 44, as suggested in FIG. 12. The passage 25 may have various cross-sectional shapes: round as in FIGS. 1 to 9; flatly oval as at 45 in FIG. 14. Such passages may dispense as pouring openings, as in FIGS. 1 to 9, be designed as a spout 46, as in FIG. 15, to dispense laterally, or have the form of a nozzle 47, as in FIG. 16. The latter two forms are more particularly adapted for use with squeeze bottles 21.

The modification shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 generally follows the closure shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, except that the threaded connection 27 is omitted, the means 26 of said earlier form is replaced by the means 26a, and the cap 23 only rotates and does not have a longitudinal movement such as in FIGS. 1 to 4. Where the two forms of the invention are alike, the same numerals designate similar parts.

The means 26a is shown as comprising diametrically opposite, straight-sided portions or ribs 50, each having an upper sloping surface 51, said faces diverging upwardly. Said ribs are provided in the bore 37 of the neck 20. Said means 26a also comprises a projection 52, having general similarity to the projection 39, but which is provided with diametrically opposite parallel fiat sides 52a. The thickness of the projection 52 between said sides is such as to be freely accommodated between the ribs 50, as seen in FIG. 8. Said projection has oppositely curved sides 53 that, in a similar manner, fit in the bore 37.

The passage 25 in the cap 23 of this form is in communication with the slot 43 which, as above indicated, is open until the opposite sides 53 of the projection are pressed toward each other to close said slot, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. It will be clear that the slot 43 is open when the fiat sides 52a of the projection 39 are in register with the straight sides of the ribs 50, as in FIG. 8. Upon turning the cap 23 approximately the curved sides 53 of the projection engage the ribs, as shown in FIG. 7, and compress the same to cause the slot 43 to close. The action is purely a rotational one, as explained hereinabove. 1

It will be clear that the slots of FIGS. 10 and .11 ma be substituted for the one shown in FIG. 8.

The closure of FIG. 13 may comprise the one illustrated in either of the two forms thereof above described. By attaching or forming a dip tube 44 on the end of projection 39 so the same extends into a bottle such as the squeeze bottle 21, the present closure may open and close the bottle to flow as induced by squeezing the sides or end of the bottle.

The present closure may dispense liquids, toothpaste, shaving cream, lotions, liquid soaps, as well as a variety of lightly viscous materials.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the constructions are, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular forms of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A non-removable closure for the neck of a bottle or the like comprising:

(a) a cap formed of flexible plastic material and provided with a cylindrical wall adapted to encircle the outer, upper portion of the neck,

(b) means, partly on the outer face of said neck and partly on the inner face of said cap wall, to rotationally and non-removably connect the cap to the neck,

(c) a passage for dispensing the contents of a bottle or similar container and passing through the end of the cap,

(d) a projection on said cap end extending in the direction of the cap wall and adapted to be disposed within the mentioned neck when the cap and neck are connected,

(e) said passage extending through said projection and normally open to the interior of the neck, and

(f) means, partly on the inner face of said neck and partly on the outer face of said projection, to interengage upon turning the cap to a predetermined position on the neck to compress the projection laterally toward the center of the cap and, thereby, close the mentioned passage.

2. A non-removable closure according to claim 1 in which the portion of the passage that extends through the projection is of slotted form defined between diverging faces, said faces upon compressing of the projection laterally toward the center of the cap, as mentioned, being pressed together to etfect the mentioned closingof the passage.

3. A non-removable closure according to claim 2 in which the mentioned faces are connected at their ends.

4. A non-removable closure according to claim 2 in which the extending portion of the passage comprises intersccting slots that divide the projection into sections,

said sections being portions that are flexed toward each other to close said passage when the projection is laterally compressed toward the center of the cap.

5. A non-removable closure according to claim 1 in which the neck and cap connecting means comprises an outer projection on the neck and a snap-retention annulus on the end of the mentioned cap wall, and having an end lip smaller than the latter projection, with an annular groove between the lip and the mentioned end of the cap and into which the outer projection on the neck enters upon endwise assembly of the closure onto the neck.

6. A non-removable closure according to claim 1 provided with interengaged threads on the inner face of the cap wall and the outer face of the neck, said threads causing the cap to move longitudinally of the neck durlaterally by the bevel when the cap moves longitudinally in a direction toward the container end of the neck.

8. A non-removable closure according to claim 1 in which the projection-compressing means comprises diametrically opposite ribs extending inwardly toward each other on the inner surface of the neck, and opposite flat sides on the projection normally fitting loosely between said ribs and engaged thereby to be pressed toward each other to close the passage when the cap is turned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,237 11/1938 Lewis et a1 222-520 X 2,638,613 5/1953 Gunther 222-546 X 2,901,152 8/ 1959 Wahnsiedler 222502 3,143,255 8/1964 Leeds 222525 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

